8 tools to implement your Material Design projects
Material Design is a visual language created by Google based on materials, that is to say, objects through the use of geometric pieces such as rectangles, circles and squares, with which the user tries to have a potential as real technological experience. What is it trying to achieve? Unify application design and projection to become the main design guide in creating web pages.
Material Design concept is characterized by its adaptability because it is a multi platform design. That is, their main aim is to get the visual language is compatible on all types of screens (smarthphones, smartTV or tablets) and suits all systems, not just Android. Material Designer gets as intuitive, functional and easy navigation possible. A new philosophy that focused on three principles:
1. Material as unifying theory
Use of the material as the primary tool to achieve uniformity in a streamlined space and a movement system. This “material” is based on the tactile reality to get the user can enjoy a technological experience as real as possible through a tactile material that replaces the elements of the physical world but without breaking the rules of physics. The surface light and movement to emulate the interaction of objects.
2. Hierarchy
Material Design advocates the hierarchy to create meaning and focus through a uniform design based on traditional elements of printing, but with a strong personality, like fonts large, grids, blanks, scale, the color and the use of images edge to edge.
3. Movement
The use of movement in order to capture the user’s attention and keep the continuity of their experience through effective and consistent transitions. For example, a flashing button is inviting the user to click on it and find a new space.The makers of this philosophy conceive that user actions are the turning point initiating movement and therefore objects are presented without breaking the continuity of experience as it transforms and reorganizes.
But how much theory! To understand this new design concept we need to try and see examples. Therefore, we propose eight webs where you can dig a little deeper on Material Design and start developing small projects easy and intuitive way.
Material design
For further information on Material Design, Google offers a guide to the fullest where you can not only learn more about his philosophy both theoretical and practical level through tutorials. And what do we find them? For tips to design low application or web material design criteria through different aspects such as animation, style, layout, components and patterns.
Another important point is the section where usability highlights the importance of creating designs under the premises of the accessibility and bidirectionality. On the other hand, in the Resources section you can download different examples that you will have no excuse to let your imagination and start being an expert in this new visual language.
Material UP
A website where users can share designs created under the premise of Material Design from icons or animations to complete projects such as applications or websites. You can also find various items, all related to this visual language.What can we find? As well as find inspiration for our work and create community with other designers, Material Up allows us to access a virtual store where we can buy themes, templates or icons, among others. In this case, we can also find free items.
Material Palette
Color is one of the most important aspects of any design giving it its own style and in Material Design would be less. So, Material Pallette allows different combinations of colors while you can watch what it would be the prototype of your design. And the best of all? We can download the different samples without problems. Easy and intuitive, have fun creating your color palette and share.
Material Cmiscm
The shadows and imitation to the real world basic aspects to Material Design, so if you want to practice these two elements undoubtedly, without a doubt, Material Cmiscm is the best choice. An interactive web that invites you to play with overlays of basic elements such as circles, squares or rectangles. Choose an object and discover the light projected or bounce the beam circle to move the square to see the movement made.Play and enjoy while learning the basics of Material Design.
Material Design Widgets Kit
A Widgets kit, created by Elad Izak, made from the perspective of Material Design. The set offers 16 very colorful elements in PSD format that you can download for free and work with them in Photoshop. In this kit we can find models of calendars, audio and video or widgets of time.
Materialize CSS
This tool is a framework created under the principles of Material Design components and custom animations.Materialize CSS is very easy to use offering a number of specific examples of CSS code to help users develop applications or web. Moreover, the tool provides default styles that can be incorporated into the designs. Besides,the tool provides default styles that can be incorporated into the designs. Also they have refined animations and transitions to provide a smoother experience developers. And if you need a little creativity, access the section of Showcase and snoops on projects being done by people around the world.
Material Design Lite
Material Design Lite allows add Material Design aspects on your web projects. In this case, the components are created with CSS, JavaScript and HTML for the development of web and apps seeking uniform and functional design. What are you looking for? Projects under cool principles of web design and adaptability, usability and portability browser. A tool to customize your prototypes in terms of style, themes, lists, buttons or lists, among others. And most importantly, you can copy the code and insert it into your work.
Nova
It is a list of nearly 4,000 icons with different themes that you can customize in format, color and size to download and incorporate them into the project.Accounts with free and paid version. The most great of this tool is that it provides each icon in two different styles: line or solid.
On the other hand, if you want to find the perfect icon for your work will not forget to visit the great collection that offers Freepik and Flaticon to set various topics.
We hope that we have helped a little with the new universe of Material Design and you feel encouraged to create your own designs!